Friday, October 19, 2007

Search Party

Hallelujah! Jacob Allen is found, and is recovering well from four days in the Dolly Sods wilderness area of the Monongahela National Forest. I am completely amazed at how thoroughly God answered the prayers of so many people this week.

Yesterday afternoon, a search team found him napping in a small clearing in a rhododendron thicket. He was alert and responsive, and they were able to get him out of the woods rather quickly. I am thoroughly thankful for God's care and provision for the Allen family during this time.

I'm also thoroughly thankful for the talented individuals and teams I was able to work with as we all searched for jacob together. In the above picture are my buddy Jeremiah, my friends Gina and Andy, and a handful of high school and college students including Johnny Haring. These folks were amazing, and it was really cool to pray together with these folks who are part of Chestnut Ridge Church. The really wild thing is that Johnny just happened to see me at the base as they were being sent on assignment. Jeremiah jumped out of the transport van when he saw me, and I was quickly added to their team. (This whole set of circumstances was pretty miraculous in itself, but there are much more important things to share in this blog.) It was even more phenomenal that because we completed our assignment which was near the vicinity where jacob was found, we were able to see Jacob come up out of the woods, and share some sweet fellowship/celebration with Jim and Karen as they waited for their boy to arrive!

So many people made the drive from Morgantown (and from even farther away too!). I met some folks from Charleston yesterday as we made our way back to the base station.

This whole series of events was marked with providence, here are just a few amazing occurances. First, Jacob was ok--that's pretty amazing for someone who spent four days in the wilderness with nothing but the clothes on his back. Second, the weather kept getting warmer each day--Dolly Sods is not known for warm weather in October--plus it was supposed to rain, but the rain stayed away for the most part (just a slight sprinkle one night). Third, so many volunteers, search teams, search dogs, etc. came on the scene--this is remote wilderness, and it is extremely difficult terrain for anyone to cover. (my team yesterday ascended nearly 1000 feet in our vertical sweeps over uneven and rocky ground with thick ground cover.) Fourth, a physician's assistant found Jacob--this meant that he could quickly go over Jacob's vitals and make sure he wasn't severely injured. God orchestrated everything to insure that a medical professional would find him.

1 comment:

What an unforgettable experience for all involved! If Ravi taught us anything last week (and he taught us many things) it was how deeply God is concerned about the value and identity of each human life. Way to be about the work of Jesus--seeking and saving the lost!

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The postings on this blog are my own personal views and reflections. These do not necessarily reflect the positions, strategies, or opinions of Nuru International, Great Commission Ministries, Chestnut Ridge Church, the Youghiogaheny River Band of Shawnee Indians, or any other organizations or groups with which I may be affiliated.